Group: 4 killed in Syria’s Yarmouk camp

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Three Palestinian refugees and a Syrian resident of the Yarmouk refugee camp were killed as clashes between the Syrian regime and rebels of the Free Syrian Army continued Monday, says a Palestinian group based in Syria.

The Taskforce for Palestinian in Syria said Tuesday that three of the victims were killed by fresh tank shells which hit the camp, while a fourth, Yousif Muhammad Bargheis,succumbed to wounds he sustained two weeks ago.

A Syrian man identified as Basil Muhammad Ajlani was confirmed dead Monday in the camp.

A statement from the group highlighted that Syrian troops stationed at a checkpoint near the camp continued to harass Palestinian refugees and verbally insult men, women and elderly people every day as they cross the checkpoint. According to the report, the troops force the residents to stand in a queue then ask a veiled collaborator to look at them and tell if some of them participate in political activities or cooperate with the rebels. The checkpoint is open and closed depending on the soldiers’ mood, added the report.

On the other hand, residents complained about misbehavior by rebels of the Free Syrian Army who, according to the Taskforce, rob houses and stores at gunpoint.

The statement added that refugees in Daraa camp near the Jordanian border suffer from serious shortages in basic food products, fuel and medicines. They also face power cuts repeatedly.

As for Syrians who flee to Egypt, authorities at Cairo airport started to apply very complicated procedures stipulating that anyone coming from Syria must obtain an Egyptian visa, according to the statement. The statement highlighted that before the current round of troubles in Egypt it was very easy for Syrians and Palestinian refugees from Syria to enter Egypt.

A Syrian airliner was denied landing at Cairo airport Monday, and the pilot was told to return to Latakia airport.